Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-10-06
STRANGE IMPULSES.
Cnaccountable actions Committed
Seemingly Sane Persons.

CnaccountabIe actions Committed by
Seemingly Sane Persons.
A very unaccountable outrage is re-
corded of Charles Matthews. He had
lived for some days very restless and
inactive life. In this state of mind q
party of gentlemen called upon him
and proposed days excursion ''My
husbands depressed spirits, says Mrs.
Matthews, ''were exhilarated by the
beauty of the weather and the prospect
of a days pleasure in the open air.
He had not ridden out of the city for
some weeks, and was in a state of
childish delight and excitement At
this moment his eyes turned on one of
the party, a very little man. who was
perched on very tall horse. and who
seemed unusually grand and impor-
tant. Mr.. Matthews looked at him for
n moment, and the next knocked him
off with smart blow. telling him TO
the ground. The whole party was
struck with horror, but no one felt
more shocked than he who had COM
mitted the outrage. He dismounted,
picked up the little. victim, and de-
~lared himself unable to give any mo-
tive for the action, but that it was an
impulse he could not resist"
A laborer in Paris returning home
from his work one evening was seized
with an unconquerable desire to run.
He rushed upon the quay which goes
from the Louvre to the Greve, over
coming every obstacle. Many at
tempts were made to stop him,
ht1f hn
tinued running, irresistibly inn
PEELED, and yet desiring to stop.
until he engaged one arm in a wheel
of carriage. Thus retained, he re-
covered his breath and walked away as
if nothing had happened. He was fire.
quently seized with this propensity to
run, and was at length confined in the
hospital, when it was discovered that
he had a disease of the spinal marrow.
One day man rushed down to the
parapet of the Pont Neuf and threw
himself off into the Seine. Some of the
bystanders saw him and dragged him
out. On being questioned as to his
motive for acting in so strange man
ner he replied: II can not give any ac-
count; 1 am in the happiest situation in
the world; have never been i'll; have
no present troubles; nor. to my knowl-
edge, approaching ones. l can only
recollect my arrival on the Pont Neuf
and being dragged out of the water"
A man, apparently in perfect health,
was attacked with a sudden disposition
TO destroy. He took up a stick, and,
without discrimination, broke every
thing that presented itself before him.
After a short time he claimed down and
appeared to be restored to himself. He
knew nothing of what he had done,
and became much irritated when shown
the remnants of the shattered articles.
He was again seized with the same
frenzy and committed a murder.
A woman, who became afterward an
inmate of a hospital, had a propensity
to hack herself all over with any sharp
instrument she could lay her hands on.
1t was not her purpose to kill herself,
only she said she experienced a fasci-
mating pleasure whenever she succeeded
in drawing blood.
A lady going out to the East Indies
was often heard to express a wish TO
experience the sensation of drowning
One morning, after gazing for some
time into the water, she did actually
jump overheard. Luckily for her, the
vessel was lying becalmed, and dozen
willing men jumped in to save her.
The case is recorded by Tissot of
young woman in whom the initiative
faculty was so strongly developed that
she could not avoid doing every thing
she saw others do. Babanis has an
account of a man similarly disposed,
and who experienced indispensable
suffering" if prevented from yielding
to the impulse.
A woman, who had an irresistible
propensity to destroy; going into a
room once while tea was being pre-
pared, could not resist the temptation
to sweep the contents of the table on
the floor. Chicago AeacS.